Psalms 137:1-9 - Homilies By S. Conway

Fruits of exile from God.

It was Israel's, or rather Judah's, exile from Zion and Jerusalem that this psalm commemorated; but the fruits that exile bore, and which are here told of, set forth the fruits of the yet sadder exile from God which many a soul has known.

I. THE MEMORY OF WHAT HAS BEEN LOST IS FULL OF SORROW . ( Psalms 137:1 .) "Yea, we sat down and wept." And if, as with God's ancient people, we through sin are banished from God, then, when we remember, we too shall weep.

II. MUSIC , MIRTH , AND SONG ARE IMPOSSIBLE . ( Psalms 137:2-4 .) How could Israel sing? How can we under like conditions? He who has once known, yet more if he has lived for a long time in, the joy of God's love, when he loses that, loses all joy along with it. How can he sing the Lord's song, etc. ( Psalms 137:4 )?

III. PASSIONATE DEVOTION AND DESIRE TOWARDS WHAT HAS BEEN LOST FILL THE SOUL . ( Psalms 137:5 , Psalms 137:6 .) His one desire is to return back; his most fervent vows that never, never will he again forget.

IV. BURNING HATRED OF THOSE WHO HAVE WROUGHT THIS WRONG TAKES POSSESSION OF HIM . (Cf. 2 Corinthians 7:10 , 2 Corinthians 7:11 .) In this sense we may use language which towards earthly enemies would be contrary to the spirit of Christ.—S.C.